Eat the Flower, It’s Good for You

Eat the Flower, It’s Good for YouBY LISA S.T. DOSS*

The mindset believes that nourishing foods are fruits, vegetables, nuts, greens, and animal proteins. Flowers, on the other hand, are exquisite extensions of plants, fortifying the pollinating community of birds, bees, and other wildlife. We tend to forget that flowers, the ornamental beauties, are packed full of vitamins and minerals, antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. Indeed, nature provides us with an abundance of wild and edible plants. Sometimes, venturing beyond your garden into the fields and forests is the best way to find local edible and herbal plant species. Wildcrafting

A term synonymous with foraging, “wildcrafting” involves harvesting plants from their natural or wild habitat. To learn more about your local plants, take a walk and look at what’s growing alongside roads, trails, and woodland areas. Take pictures to learn more about their surrounding environment. Be sure of its identity before plucking a flower or leaf, and only take a small amount, ensuring the plant can continue to thrive. Getting to know familiar trails and pathways will open the door to valuable learning.

Spring Edibles

As new spring life emerges, plants seeking the sun begin to move upward. It’s a perfect time to discover the signs of transformation. Usually, the plants that may be too bitter at maturity are incredibly tender during the spring season. Likewise, our bodies benefit from warmer and drier foods.

• DANDELION LEAF: Most are familiar with the flower, which is a true edible; however, before the blossom arrives, the leaves contain calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, and vitamins A, C, and K. Added to salads, soups, or stir-fries, the greens are tasty and nutritious.

• VIOLET LEAF AND FLOWER: Short in stature, the blue, purple, white, and yellow flowers are a welcomed sight, discovered in fields, orchards, and rocky environments. High in vitamins A and

C, the flowers add to the pastry world and can thicken soups, due to their mucilage content.

• TULIPS: Rather than eating a stuffed pepper, try a stuffed tulip! The flavor depends upon the color. Red petals are sweet, while white has a slight pepper aftertaste. As an oil infusion, the flowers are known to heal skin conditions and provide a soothing effect.

WARNING: It’s wise to research edible flowers before tasting. For instance, avoid consuming fruit-tree flowers, since some varieties contain low levels of cyanide.

Summer Edibles

As temperatures warm the soil, delicious berries and other fruits, flowers, and fungi fill the fields and forests. Miraculously, the harvest from wildcrafting excursions provides the body with well-needed nutrients, such as antioxidants and antiinflammatory flavonoids, to ease the internal heat levels.

You will find:

• HIBISCUS: The large colorful blossom has properties to boost your immune system, treat inflammation, and prevent cell damage in the body, to name a few.

Hibiscus is often used as an ingredient in teas and is similar in taste to the pomegranate. Additionally, you can eat the flower raw and cook the leaves, or use it in jams, relishes, and salads.

• ROSE: Bathing with fresh rose petals or drinking rose water is a luxurious experience. Eating the organic flower is no different. The petals have a refreshingly smooth texture. Consider sprinkling rose petals on your salad, make

“rose sugar,” or use it to improve the flavor of water. • LAVENDER: Widely known for its distinctive fragrance, the lavender flower has become a staple in our edible lifestyles. You can find it in baked goods, infused syrups, herbal teas, spice rubs, and herbal mixtures. It pairs well with citrus, berries, chocolate, and particular herbs, like rosemary, sage, and thyme. As an infusion, lavender tea is an excellent stress reliever, easing muscle pains, aches, and calming the mind and body.

WARNING: Never harvest the following plants from the wild: American ginseng, echinacea, goldenseal, sandalwood, and wild yam.

Bee balm flowers taste minty and spicy, while borage and daylily flowers have a flavor similar to cucumbers. No two blossoms taste the same. By learning about edible flowers growing in your garden and the wild, you, too, can gain unexpected nutrition and impart unique colors and flavors to your favorite meals. *Lisa is an N.C. Cooperative Extension Master Garden volunteer, a statecertified beekeeper, and is presently studying herbalism.

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Keith Bond, PA-C

Novant Health Vein Specialists

Expert Vein Care Focused on You This Physician Assistant Provides Next-Level Care

BY MARTIE EMORY

Keith Bond, PA-C, is as passionate about his patients at Novant Health Vein Specialists as he is about the community where he lives. He found his calling many years ago on a mission trip. By the end of that adventure, he knew he wanted a career serving others and eventually decided to pursue medicine as a physician assistant (PA).

At Novant Health Vein Specialists, the providers are committed to providing quality care in a patient-centered, safe, and comfortable environment. With clinics located in Winston-Salem, Kernersville and High Point, the team takes the concept of serving every member of their community very seriously. “That’s a mission that resonates within the team from day one,” Bond said.

For Bond, that community investment is what sets Novant Health apart, and one of the many positives that originally drew him to join the Novant Health family. Focused on venous disease, Bond treats patients suffering from vascular conditions, including varicose and spider veins, and helps them get back the quality of life they deserve.

“This really is our community,” explains Bond. “We love making a difference, and making it our home, by keeping our neighbors healthy, one person at a time!”

Family—both personally and professionally—is absolutely everything to Bond, and a career with Novant Health has made that possible. Originally from San Jose, California, Bond participated in a mission trip in his late teens that left him certain he wanted a career where he could help other people.

Fortunately, he was also gifted in science, and received a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science from Brigham Young University, before obtaining a Master of Science in Physician Assistant Studies from Northwestern University School of Medicine. While living in Chicago, he met someone who had attended Wake Forest University, and truly loved the Winston-Salem area. That piqued his interest—as well as his wife’s, Katie Bond, who is a Registered Dietitian. They decided to move to North Carolina to see what it was like for themselves. Today, the two have been married 14 years, and have three children, ages nine, seven, and five, who keep them busy.

Bond has been with Novant Health for eight years, and feels strongly that the organization offers something special, including an unmistakable camaraderie and next-level care from a dedicated team.

“I simply could not find a better group to work with,” he said. “I immediately saw how they look out for each other—and each other’s patients, and today, eight years later, everything we do is still a complete collaboration.”

Another positive for Bond—he values the honest relationships he develops with his patients. From the first clinic visit until they enter the hospital for their surgical procedure, the relationship is a strong one.

“Trusting your provider is so important,” he explained. “It’s a privilege to take care of patients and make them feel as comfortable as possible, all the way through the process.”

Bond was fortunate to work in an imaging center during school, and realized he enjoyed all aspects of working with the cardiovascular system. Choosing a specialty is a crucial part of the PA process, along with graduating from an accredited program and sitting for board exams. In order to enter PA school, candidates are required to have 1,000 hours of patient care experience in an authentic health-care setting, which ensures that most students come in already equipped with a natural comfort level when it comes to patient care.

That is a huge advantage, said Bond, as a typical PA is already focused on the most important element of their career—providing the most personalized care available, and what is best for the individual patient.

Novant Health Vein Specialists has 10 experienced vascular providers you can trust to meet your needs, both in-person and virtually. The care team uses the latest technology to provide advanced, individualized programs and treatments. The clinic also offers free monthly screenings at the Winston-Salem location. The remaining 2022 dates are Sept. 13th and 22nd, Oct. 4th and 20th, Nov. 1st and 17th, and Dec. 1st and 6th.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, visit SalemVeins.com, or call 336-776-3160.

Running into autumn

Join us Sept. 13 and 22 for a free vein consultation. RSVP required.

Enjoy the autumn days more this year with healthy, pain-free legs. If you or someone you know is experiencing any of the leg symptoms Novant Vein below, Novant Health Vein Specialists can help. If you experience: • Swelling in your legs • Leg pain and discomfort • Tired or heavy legs • Bulging veins • Spider veins • Skin discoloration

Schedule a free consultation today and be on your way to healthy, pain-free legs this fall.

RSVP to 336-776-3160 or go online to salemveins.com to register.

Three convenient locations Winston-Salem, Kernersville and High Point

Sambucus Nigra

The Hippocratic Oath remains a promise of safe healing from a man whom legend defines as the demigod of medicine, the son of Apollo himself, the god of healing and the sun. Since his handwritten journals have survived, we know that Hippocrates believed that “our natural aptitude is the soil; the instruction our teachers give us is in the seeds. Our basic education is the planting of the seeds at the right time…. Commitment and time ensure strong growth.” As a staunch proponent of medicinal herbs, he compared the elder tree to nature’s medicine chest and kept the berries readily available during his travels in villages. Since 400 BC, our love of elderberry has grown stronger.

What is Black Elderberry? Growing along the roadside, at farms, and in bee gardens, is a shrub with enlarged, beautiful white floral blossoms, which transition to bluish-purple medicinal berries in late summer. Sambucus nigra is one of the species in the Adoxaceae family, known by the common names of elder tree, elderberry, black elder, black lace, blue elderberry, and the list continues. One distinguishing quality is that the stems leading to the fruit are purple. Discovering a plant is exhilarating; however, do not eat them raw; they are poisonous.

PROPAGATION TIP: Between December and February, use clean, sharp clippers to cut sixinch “sips.” Remove leaves near the bottom of the stem and place in a glass of water near a sunny window. After four to six weeks, transfer the young plant to soil. Always remember, elderberries love water; so, water deeply. Planting can occur as early as April. Use a three-gallon bucket to protect them from freezing temperatures or frost.

Berry Benefits Flavonoids, with high levels of Anthocyanin, provide a distinctive water-soluble pigment that may appear blue, purple, or black, and which offer an additional boon to good health—natural antioxidant properties. Elderberry is a tasty ingredient found in foods, drinks, skin care products, medicines, and supplements. Flower Benefits

Oh, How I Love Thee

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

Between the cluster of five dark green leaves lies the elderflower. Before flowering, the buds grow larger until they blossom out of the stem. While the berry itself has extraordinary medicinal powers, the flowers possess antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties to treat, among other conditions, colds, sinus infections, and respiratory disturbances.

The health benefits:

• Elderflowers reduce congestion, runny nose, and the ills and chills associated with allergies and a cold; • They are used as a treatment to prevent bleeding; • They alleviate swelling in the joints and lower arthritic pain levels; • They can lower blood sugar levels; • Elderflowers boost the functioning of the immune system, and eliminate bacterial pathogens; • They can calm itchy eyes due to pollen or dust.

The elderflower is safe for consumption, but requires drying. Consider it an ingredient as a tea, tisane, tincture, poultice, or made with beeswax to create a unique balm or salve.

FACT: Native Americans used the branches of Black Elderberry to make flutes and deemed it, “The Tree of Music.”

Recipes From baked apples with elderberry syrup served with ice cream to cranelderberry relish—ideal for a Thanksgiving meal—any recipe including Sambucus nigra will include a tasty and immune-supportive benefit.

ELDERBERRY SYRUP: The two most essential ingredients are elderberries, either fresh or dried, and raw honey. Once the berries, clove, cinnamon stick, and vanilla bean are cooked, well-infused and mashed, strain. For medicinal syrup, add an equal proportion of honey to water and consume one teaspoon morning and night. Thicker syrups for teas and pancakes, for instance, require a 75% addition of honey. Homemade syrups will last approximately one year if kept in a cool, dark location.

ELDERBERRY CHERRY FREEZE POPS: As hydration is critical in summer or avoided in the winter, try the following recipe to ensure a boost of good nutrients and health.

Directions: In a large bowl, mix 1.5 cups of water, 1 cup of tart cherry juice, a half-cup of elderberry syrup, and a splash of lemon juice; then pour the mixture into an ice cube tray, cover with plastic wrap, and poke a toothpick through to the middle of each mold. Wait 12 hours before serving!

The world of elderberries is available to you, especially since the season is perfect for hand-picking; however, you’ll find it difficult to choose just one recipe!

The importance of early childhood education cannot be overstated. Early childhood education sets the foundation for a child’s future development, providing a strong base for lifelong learning, and also helps the child with cognitive and social development that is crucial to a strong future. As a community, we have to understand the importance of this crucial education to our children in our community. Early education is often overlooked and the early learning educators are frequently treated like babysitters at a daycare facility. But we need to treat them and their profession with the respect and admiration that they deserve in order to boost employee retention and overall satisfaction with the important career that they have chosen. These early childhood educators are creating and molding the future of our community.

Here at Smart Start of Forsyth County (SSFC), we are a blend of a quasi government and non-profit organization that is devoted to early childhood education programs in Forsyth County. We provide free resources to local early childhood educators and education centers.

Smart Start was created in 1993 by Governor Jim Hunt as an innovative way to tackle an important problem: children were coming to school unprepared to learn. Today, Smart Start of Forsyth County provides funding for innovation, and also serves as an incubator of innovative ideas and practices that impact children, birth to five and their families. Experiences a child has during the first 2,000 days—from birth to kindergarten—have been shown to have an impact throughout life. Therefore, SSFC invests time and money in local, evidence-based initiatives to improve early care and education, family support, health, and literacy as a holistic approach for children birth-to-five.

A free program that is available to all early educators in Forsyth is our Teaching and Learning Services (TLS) program. Our TLS Team provides training, technical assistance, coaching and support to childcare providers. The TLS Team consists of highly qualified Technical Assistance Specialists who have a strong background in Early Childhood Education and Administration. The team provides services that help childcare providers throughout Forsyth County gain and/or maintain quality childcare; they also provide assessments of classroom-level processes, trauma-informed practices, evidence-based instructional supports, and developmentally appropriate practices associated with children’s positive developmental outcomes. In addition, TLS provides leadership development for early childhood administrators to improve knowledge and implementation of programmatic and business practices. We have regular training available on our website for educators to attend. In addition to providing funding for many childcare centers across the county, we also provide free community resources to families. Parents and caregivers can visit our website to apply for scholarships, emergency scholarships, and subsidies at www.SmartStart-FC.org. Families with children that are five and under can also register for the Dolly Parton Imagination Library which is a free literacy program that sends Spanish or English books to registered children every month based on their age. Our newest program is ROOTS and it is funded by the Kate B Reynolds charitable Trust. The ROOTS program is designed to help our community break the cycle of Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and help local children develop strong roots with their families as well as within our community.

At SSFC, we work with parents and educators to provide resources to help their children thrive. Smart Start takes the time needed to understand each person’s situation and then we are able to guide them through programs that cater to their specific needs such as the NC Pre-K program, Dual Subsidies, Emergency Childcare Scholarship’s, Teaching & Learning Services, R.O.O.T.S, and our free Diaper Bank.

For more information on how you and your family can benefit from some of the services here at Smart Start, visit our website at www.SmartStart-FC.org or visit our office at 7820 North Point Boulevard, Suite 200, Winston-Salem, North Carolina 27106

A Mom’s Advice on the Rocky Road of PUBERTY

BY LISA S.T. DOSS

“I want to wear a bra. All the other girls are wearing one.” I stared into my daughter’s eyes, which reflected excitement to leave childhood behind. As we shopped for spaghetti-string paneled shirts and kids’ sports bras, we talked about the value of being seven and what significant milestones are around the corner.

By age ten, when breast buds were impossible to hide, she claimed she wanted to start a revolution and burn every bra she possessed. How could I resist? “Sorry sweetheart, that’s already happened; you’re 60 years too late!”

Emotional Purge

All I asked was, “How was your day?” With hands hiding her tears, she screamed, “I don’t know what to do with my feelings. First, I’m angry, then sad. And then, I’ll laugh at something stupid. I feel I’m on a roller coaster ride. And, today, when my emotions slammed against me, I did the worst possible thing imaginable; I cried in front of everyone!”

Of course, she didn’t believe me, but crying is the most normal, productive response. As a parent, it’s easy to remember being her age, feeling like no one understands while you are questioning your body and mind. As stomps grow louder going up the stairs or a door is slammed, she’s pleading rudely for attention. Her greatest desire isn’t to be left alone or engage in an argument; prepubescent and pubescent sons and daughters need the comfort of a parent’s voice. Selfconfidence will fluctuate in their minds, caused by worrying about the viewpoints of friends and social standing. At that time, self-worth will change with every complexion outbreak, pound gained, and growth spurt. Testing your listening skills, ‘tweens and ‘teens will question their sanity and whether they are enough.

It’s important not to tie every subject into one “big talk,” but engage in conversation daily. ‘Tweens and ‘teens need a role model they can go to who is available and will listen.

The Difficult Question—When?

Women with daughters talk to each other, especially if their girls are close to the same age. We whisper phrases like, “Has she started her period yet?” and “How’s the emotional roller coaster going?” Open communication helps parents who need advice or support. Some children show the signs of puberty in late elementary school by the appearance of “breast buds” or “testicular enlargement.” Noticeable hormonal changes will appear through physical developments, such as the increase of body hair, fat mass, and more mature muscle tone.

Whoever uttered the words “appearances don’t count” has never experienced living with a prepubescent child. Suddenly, adolescents may care about their complexion and clothing and argue against daily showers and wearing deodorant. By seventh grade, boys and girls exhibit emotional and social changes. For example, teens will pull away from their parents, showing less affection for them and more interest in their peer group.

Additional changes: Teens

• have difficulty maintaining high expectations and feeling confident;

• are distressed by the added social demands of middle school;

• are constantly trying to control the emotions of sadness and depression.

Sixth Grade Opens Adult Conversations

Less than two months into sixth grade, my daughter said, “I need to ask you a few questions.” From October through May, we covered fellatio, masturbation, defining a female, why she is a girl, secret crushes, mapping the characteristics of friendship, and peer kissing, vaping, and drug use. As puberty continues to unfold, she continually asks two questions: “Is this normal?” and “Am I enough?” Reassurance is offered through honest responses; perhaps, it’s the reason why she still reaches for my hand and initiates conversations.

Many ‘tweens and ‘teens feel alone with their overwhelming problems. Parents can be honest and answer questions to dispel all girl and boy myths around the topic. When sons and daughters do not want to talk, share time by going for a walk or making dinner together. Sometimes, being together is an easy solution!